Mississippi Injury Lawyer Blog

Today was a rare day in Mississippi. Citizens awoke to find that the roads were covered in a thin layer of snow and a little ice, an anomaly for the Southern state, even during the winter months. Schools opened late as city officials hoped that later times would allow the snow to melt, making the roads safer for travel. It was a good move, especially since instances of car wrecks tend to increase when it comes to wintery weather, especially when motorists are not used to navigating icy streets.

According to the Clarion Ledger, the snow has accumulated up to four inches across central and east Mississippi already, creating "slushy driving conditions." Although meteorologists hope that the snowfall should clear by noon, "multiple bands of snow" are still making their way across the state. Mississippi car accident attorneys know that while this may mean an extended snow day, which is extremely exciting for some (i.e. kids hoping to get an early break from school), it also translates into an increased potential for car wrecks.

Continue reading "Driving Conditions Brought on By Snow Day in Mississippi Sure to Cause Car Accidents for Motorists " »

The failure to slow down and buckle up can have widespread (and costly) ramifications at anytime, but this is, apparently, especially true when you find yourself traversing Mississippi's roads and highways. A recent study published in Reader's Digest found that Mississippi indeed has some of the nation's most dangerous roads, with a majority of car accidents occurring due to speeding and improper safety measures. In fact, the statistics show that with approximately 27 road deaths per 100,000 Mississippians, the state languishes at the bottom of the list in the U.S. when it comes to safe roads.

Personal injury lawyers, however, know that while speeding and lack of seatbelt usage are the primary culprits, it is actually a combination of conditions/events that account for Mississippi's "dangerous" status. These additional reasons include distracted driving, poorly lit rural roads and insufficient maintenance.

Still, more than half of those who perished while driving on Mississippi's roads in 2010 were not wearing a seatbelt. In response to the alarming numbers of deceased who perished while not wearing a seatbelt, Mississippi joined the nation in implementing a program specifically targeted at encouraging motorists to buckle up. In fact, the aptly named "Buckle Up, Mississippi!" program, and law requiring motorists to fasten their belts, seems to have experienced a certain amount of success.

Continue reading "Navigating Mississippi's Dangerous Roads and Avoiding Car Crash Fatalities: "Buckle Up, Mississippi. It's the Law!"" »

With an increasing amount of states opting to implement a ban on texting while driving, the state of Mississippi may very well be next. As of June 2012, though, Mississippi legislators chose to ignore or table all distracted driving measure proposed for the present year, making Mississippi one of 11 states who have yet to address this issue. Mississippi car accident attorneys, however, know that that doesn't mean such legislation isn't peeking over the horizon. According to a report by USA Today, "Growing concern over the continued use of cell phones by drivers has some states reviewing laws against the practice and exploring stiffer fines and harsher penalties."

In fact, many will recall that In December of 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) distributed a press release calling for an outright and nationwide ban of all electronic devices for motorists after studies appeared to show that texting was the primary cause of several fatal crashes. The NTSB, however, does not possess the power to enforce such a ban, leaving the ultimate decision up to the discretion of individual states. Many states took the all-to heart, but while Mississippi earnestly considered similar legislation, contrary to the majority of states, lawmakers here seem to believe laws already in place are doing enough to curb instances of distracted driving - for now that is.

Continue reading "More States Adopt Harsh Stance on Texting While Driving: Hope to Reduce Car Crashes Due to Distracted Driving" »

Fatal car accidents always leave the loved ones of the victims feeling a mixture of emotions and wondering what could have been done to prevent the untimely deaths. The case of Matther Hoskins and Evan Raasch, tow good friends from Grady County, Oklahoma, was no different. But the high-speed car crash that killed the two teenage boys in Chickasha, Oklahoma last year has left their parents embroiled in a bitter lawsuit.

As reported by Newsok.com, the mother of Evan Raasch, 15, who died riding in a souped-up car last year, has sued the parents of the driver. Evan's 17-year-old friend and driver of the car, Matthew Hoskins, also died in the crash. Briana Hoskins, 15, the sister of the driver, was thrown 92 feet from the point of impact but survived, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The wreck happened about 3:45 p.m., about 700 feet south of County Road 1380 at County Street 2760, just south of Chickasha. Hoskins was passing three vehicles when he lost control due to excessive speed and went into a skid, the lawsuit alleges. The car then hit a tree. Evan Raasch was thrown from the car and died on the way to the hospital. Matthew Hoskins died at the scene. The car was not equipped with air bags, and no one in the car was wearing a seat belt.

Karla Raasch, Evan's mother, filed the lawsuit alleging negligence in Grady County on January 12, 2012. The suit alleges the car was traveling more than 100 mph at the time of the wreck. According to the lawsuit, the car was modified with a nitrous oxide kit. The lawsuit names the estate of Matthew Hoskins and Mack and Cammy Lyons, Matther's parents, as defendants. The suit asks for damages in excess of $1 million.

According to Ron Durbin, Raasch's attorney, photographs of the wrecked car show a nitrous oxide bottle hanging out of the trunk. Nitrous oxide is used to enhance engine performance. The kit is legal to install in a vehicle for a racetrack or for drag-racing but not for use in a vehicle on a public roadway, Durbin said.

Continue reading "Fatal Car Accident- Fueled by Nitrous Oxide - Causes the Wrongful Death of Two Teens " »

Two Georgia men died over the weekend in an unfortunate car accident in southern Mississippi. The men, both of whom hailed from Georgia, were traveling with a group of friends to New Orleans for the BCS championship game when their motorhome experienced a tire blowout, ejecting several people from the recreational vehicle. Mississippi Highway Patrol Cpl. Todd Miller confirmed that the motorhome blew a front tire, and ran off Interstate 59 in Forrest County, Mississippi, before striking a tree in the median. Of the 14 people riding on the 2002 Freightliner, 10 were injured, aside from the two fatalities.

The owner of the vehicle, a 70-year-old man and former NFL player, Solomon Brannan reported to the Associated Press that he had allowed his friends to borrow the home for this trip, after he was unable to go. One of the deceased, 61-year-old Allen Holt, was a professional bus driver, but the blowout he encountered while on the road in the large vehicle was one even the most experienced driver might not be able to overcome. The second victim, Darryl Parker, had been injured in a previous car crash almost 17 years ago. In a striking turn of events, in 1995 Parker was partially paralyzed and left in a wheelchair after an accident that occurred while he was on the way to a game, but he survived. Unfortunately, this was an incident that claimed his life.

Normally, the tread on a motorhomes tires are designed for extensive wear and tear. Blowouts sometimes result when the tires have aged, and, as this unfortunate incident demonstrates, can be deadly at high speeds. Experts advise that motorhome tires be changed every seven years, especially because over time exposure to sunlight can result in cracks in the tires themselves, serving as a kind of warning before the actual blowout occurs.

Continue reading "Motorhome Blowout in Mississippi Results in Fatal Crash" »

A recent proposal made by Arizona State Representative Ted Vogt, of Tucson, has several trial lawyers in the state very concerned. Representative Vogt has proposed a piece of state legislation that would allow trial judges to order someone who lost a lawsuit to pay all the costs and legal fees of the winner. These types of laws are typically referred to as loser pays laws. Most American courts follow what is known as the "American rule," where each party bears their own litigation expense. However, loser pay laws follow what is known as the "English Rule," which require the non-victorious party in a lawsuit to bear the burden of not only their legal expenses, but the expenses of opposing parties as well.

According to Representative Vogt, the implementation of a law like this "is only fair." Vogt believes that a measure such as this would decrease the number of frivolous lawsuits brought in the state. It not surprising that Rep. Vogt has this opinion, because it is not his first time championing such a piece of legislation. Just last year, Vogt proposed a stricter version of the law that he is currently championing. Vogt first proposed a laws that would automatically require the loser of a lawsuit to bear the burden of their opponents court costs. Fortunately, that proposition received enough opposition that it was unsuccessful. It was this opposition, according to Vogt, that caused him to fine tune his proposal. Although the detail of the new proposed law are not ironed out completely, this new version would leave the final decision on who should pay costs and legal fees to the judge who heard the case.

Despite Vogt's statement that "I absolutely don't want to do anything to affect anybody's ability to go into court," it is likely that a measure such as this, if successful, would do just that. As would be expected, members of Arizona's Trial Lawyers Association, who represent those who go to court with cases of personal injury, property damage, medical malpractice and wrongful death, are adamantly opposed to any measure such as this. According to the organization's president, Janice Goldstein, in response to the contention that this type of law would cut down on frivolous suits, "Just because you lose a lawsuit doesn't mean it was a frivolous case. Ms. Goldstein is correct, because of the several variables that go into presenting an issue at trial, the failure to receive a favorable jury verdict is not indicative of the merits of a particular case.

Ms. Goldstein was also very correct in her statement that: "You need to be careful you don't have a chilling impact on people who have been harmed feeling that they cannot bring a case against a large corporation. Because, if they lose and the jury decides against them, they would have to pay for all of those fees." It is true that if a measure like this were to be implemented, it would have a the effect of virtually robbing people of their ability to be heard in the judicial system. As a Mississippi trial attorney, attempts to implement measure such of this cause me great concern, because of large detriment they would have to those who have been the victim of another's negligence. If laws like this are passed, it would hamper deserving individual's ability to receive the compensation they deserve as a result of injuries they have sustained, and that is not right. So, it is my hope that the legislative body of Arizona once again rejects this legislation, and it is also my hope that no other states see consider such measures.

April 20, 2010 is a day that changed the lives of many of the residents of Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida. April 20, 2010 is the date of the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. According to the LA Times, this rig explosion, which caused the death of 11 rig workers and gushed more than 155 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf Coast, was the worst oil spill in United States history. This explosion not only lead to the wrongful death of several rig workers, but, as reported by the Associated Press, it also caused severe economic damage to every individual and entity effected, not to mention the negative environmental impact on all the states effected. Three months, and 200 million gallons of oil later, the oil well was capped, but the devastation that it caused will be felt for years to come.

It is this devastation that is the crux of the lawsuit, which involves over 120,000 claimants or plaintiffs, that has been filed against BP (otherwise know as British Petroleum), which leased the rig that exploded, Transocean, the owner of the rig, Halliburton, the company responsible for the casing cement; and other companies involved in the rig's operations. The main claim against these defendants is that they were negligent or grossly negligent, which lead to teh occurnace of the oil spill. The claimants in this case include those who chose not to take final claims payments through the $20 billion dollar compensation fund set up by BP. Many of the claimants that chose to apply for payouts rather than risk a drawn out legal battle include condominium owners, oyster fishermen, hoteliers and beach towns, among others. These claimants chose likely chose this route because of the early concerns that the lawyers for BP and the other defendant companies would drag out litigation for years. Despite these early concerns, it seems as if legal action for the spill is speeding through courts at an unprecedented pace.

According to USA Today, unlike the proceedings related to the Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska in 1989, the proceedings associated with this tragic oil spill are moving through the courts relatively quickly. United States District Judge Carl Barbier, the New Orleans federal judge overseeing the case, has set February 27, 2012 as the date of trial for the first issue relating to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The purpose of this February trial will be to assign shares of fault to the defendant companies involved and determine whether Transocean can limit what it pays those making claims under maritime law. According to the Associated Press, the ruling could impact the lawsuits that the defendant companies have filed against each other. For example, in one of those lawsuits, BP has sued Transocean for at least $40 billion in damages, accusing it of causing the deadly explosion.

Just recently, Judge Barbier ruled that BP is not entitled to coverage for the oil spill under insurance policies held by Transocean Ltd., owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig that BP was leasing at the time of last year's Gulf of Mexico disaster. The policies totaled $750 million dollars. In his opinion, Judge Barbier wrote: "Because Transocean did not assume the oil pollution risks pertaining to the Deepwater Horizon incident -- BP did -- Transocean was not required to name BP as an additional insured as to those risks. Because there is no insurance obligation as to those risks, BP is not an 'insured' ... for those risks. Therefore, BP is not entitled to the declarations of coverage it seeks." In addition to ruling that BP is not entitled to coverage under Transoceans insurance policies, Judge Barbier also ruled that Alabama and Louisiana could pursue punitive damages against BP and other companies.

Continue reading "Trial Date for Issues Related to BP Oil Spill set for February 27, 2012" »

On August 29, 2011, the Supreme Court of New Jersey ruled that a statute barring uninsured motorists injured in automobile accidents from recovering also applied to the heirs of insured drivers who were killed as a result of an automobile accident. According to the New Jersey Law Journal, the Court ruled that an heir cannot initiate a wrongful death action on behalf of a decedent who was killed as a result of an automobile accident, if that decedent was an uninsured motorist. The statutory law that the court relied on in its decision was N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.5(a). It is quoted below:

"Any person who, at the time of an automobile accident resulting in injuries to that person, is required but fails to maintain medical expense benefits coverage mandated by section 4 of P.L.1972, c. 70 (C.39:6A-4) , section 4 of P.L.1998, c. 21 (C.39:6A-3.1) or section 45 of P.L.2003, c.89 (C.39:6A-3.3) shall have no cause of action for recovery of economic or noneconomic loss sustained as a result of an accident while operating an uninsured automobile."

Although this statutory language only refers to the right of an injured party to bring suit, the court determined in its decision that there is no legislative intent to suggest that the heirs of a deceased party have any greater rights than that party would have had if he were brining suit on his own behalf.

The New Jersey Supreme Court laid down this decision in Sheila Aronberg v. Wendell Tolbert, et al. Sheila Aronberg is the mother of Lawrence Aronberg, who died when his car was struck from behind on the New Jersey Turnpike on Sept. 15, 2005, by a tractor-trailer. As a result of her son's death in this accident, Sheila Aronberg sued both the truck's owner, Fleetwood Trucking Company, and the truck's driver, Wendell Tolbert, under New Jersey's Survivor Act and the state's Wrongful Death Act.

Prior to the accident, Lawrence Aronberg's automobile insurance policy with Allstate insurance company had been cancelled because of lack of payment. Because Lawrence was uninsured at the time of the accident, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.5(a), the Superior Court judge dismissed the survivor claim, but allowed the wrongful death action to proceed. The Superior Court's rationale for allowing the wrongful death action to proceed in the face of the statute was that the wrongful death claim belonged to the heirs, not the decedent. Therefore, the claim was not barred by the statute.

Continue reading "Do the Families of Uninsured Drivers Deserve Compensation? The New Jersey Supreme Court Says No" »

Will allowing Mexican based commercial trucks to operate within the borders of the United States create a safety risk for American citizens? The answer is yes, according to the American Association for Justice (AAJ). In a Statement released by the AAJ on May 12, 2011, the AAJ blasted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) proposed rules regarding Mexican commercial trucks operating within the United States as failing to require that the trucks carry adequate insurance, thus placing many American Citizens at risk.

On April 13, 2011, the FMCSA released proposed rules regarding a trucking pilot program created as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This pilot program would allow the operation of Mexican based commercial trucks within the United States. On May 12, 2011, the AAJ responded to the proposed rules with an article criticizing the pilot program's apparent failure to require that Mexican commercial trucks carry adequate and independent insurance. The basis of the AAJ's understanding of the FMCSA's proposed rules is 49 U.S.C. 31139, which contains a section regarding Foreign Motor Carriers, allowing them to self-insure.

In its article, the AAJ expressed concern that if Mexican commercial trucks were allowed to operate within the United States without adequate insurance, many American's would be put at risk. In the United States, thousands are injured in trucking accidents each year. According to the AAJ, if the FMCSA's proposed rules were adopted, those injured in accidents with Mexican based commercial trucks who are not adequately or independently insured may not receive adequate compensation, because the trucking company many not have adequate resources to compensate for the victim's economic as well as non-economic damages. In addition to the article in which the AAJ criticized the administrations proposed regulations, the AAJ also sent comments, via a letter to the administration, voicing the above mentioned concerns.

As an attorney who represents plaintiffs in Trucking Accident cases, I must agree with the AAJ's stance that it is necessary for all trucks traveling within the United States to have adequate insurance. All vehicles operating on the roads of the United States should carry adequate insurance. This insures that if an accident does occur, those involved will be able to receive the medical treatment, and any additional compensation they deserve.

Continue reading "Will Americans be Placed at Risk if Mexican Based Trucking Companies are Allowed to Operate Within the Unites States' Boarders?" »

After much public outcry from the Mississippi cycling community, as well as from cyclists across the country, Clay County District Attorney Forrest Allgood decided that he will re open his investigation into a May 22, 2011 bicycle accident in which a cyclist was struck by a motorist. Despite the fact that DA Allgood has decided to re-open the case, Jan Morgan, the cyclists who was struck and severely injured, may not receive the justice she deserves, within the criminal system or the civil system.

Jan Morgan, a Starkville woman, was cycling down Highway 50 with her friend when she was struck by a motorist. The person who hit Morgan was Robbie Norton, who was driving a 2000 Daewoo Leganza sedan at the time. According to the Daily Journal, Jan Morgan's friend, Kim Richardson, recounts the accident as follows: "My recollection is the sound of the impact and the mass of the car next to me, very close; and then seeing Jan up in the air over the car after the impact and then continuing down the road before the car stopped, and she rolled off the hood." Moneaka Jones, who was driving behind the motorist that struck Morgan, also recounts the accident: "When she hit Jan, she didn't dodge her, never slowed down".

After Norton, the driver of the car that struck Morgan got out of the car, she looked at Morgan, who was severely injured and unconscious, and then returned to her vehicle. What happened next is likely what is causing such outrage in cycling community as well as the North East Mississippi community as a whole. After Norton returned to her vehicle, just moments after striking Morgan with her car, Norton got back inside of her vehicle, and slowly drove her vehicle over Morgan's unconscious body. According to Moneaka Jones, "The front tire sat on Jan's head 45 seconds to a minute". Norton then exited her vehicle once more, but then tried to return to her vehicle again, but was prevented from doing so by Moneaka Jones and others at the scene.

Robbie Norton, who chose to call friends and family at the scene instead of 911, told DA Forrest Allgood that she was in a state of shock after the accident, and was attempting to move her car out of the way of traffic when she ran over Jan Morgan the second time. Thankfully though, others were on the scene to call 911. Jan Morgan was taken to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo where she remained in a medically induced coma for a month until she was transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta for rehabilitation.

Continue reading "No Justice for Jan Morgan: Motorist who Stuck Starkville, MS Bicyclist with Her Car may not be Held Accountable for Her Actions" »

Whenever there is a report of an auto accident, it is to be expected that police will arrive on the scene to afford any assistance that may be necessary to those involved. However, in the case of a auto accident that occurred on July 13 in Hinds County, MS, not only did local authorities arrive to administer aid, but the two vehicles involved in the accident were squad cars driven by local law enforcement personnel.

A Hinds County Sherriff's Department squad car collided with a City of Raymond Police squad car as the city officer was attempting to turn left on a highway around 20 miles Southwest of Raymond. The Sherriff's Deputy, who was attempting to pass the officer's car while in a no pass zone, collided with the city officer's vehicle. Although both officers sustained injuries, the injuries were minor.

Issues between the two agencies, stemming from this collision, were discussed in a meeting held on July 15 between Raymond Police Chief Jason Crotwell and Sheriff Malcolm McMillin. The primary issue discussed was the way in which the Sherriff's deputies drive through the city of Raymond, especially the high rates of speed deputies use while traveling through the city's main streets. Chief Jason Crotwell had received complaints in the past regarding the Sherriff's Deputies and the way they drive through the city.

Continue reading "City v. County: Whose Insurance Company Will Pay for a Police Car Collision in Hinds County, MS?" »

While it's a fairly well-known fact that the legal blood-alcohol limit for driving in the United States is 0.08%, all too often citizens fail to adhere to this law. Blood-alcohol levels exceeding this percentage are nearly always guaranteed to result in arrest, a car accident with injuries or, even worse, wrongful death. Now there's even more bad news for those who enjoy guzzling a drink or two from time-to-time. The New York Times has uncovered a study conducted by Addiction, a journal published by the Society for the Study of Addiction to Alcohol and other Drugs, that reveals driving after consuming even a small amount of alcohol -- just one beer, for instance -- is associated with incapacitating injury and wrongful death.

According to the Times article, David P. Williams and Kimberly M. Brewer of the University of California, San Diego analyzed accident and injury data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database and found that the "severity ratio increased significantly even when drivers were merely buzzed. A BAC of just 0.01% -- about the equivalent of one light beer for a 180-lb. man over the course of two hours -- was associated with accidents that were 37% more severe than those involving completely sober drivers."

As an auto accident attorney in Mississippi, I am well aware that driving while under the influence seems to have become a fad among our young people. There have been numerous (rather sensationalized) accounts of celebrities driving intoxicated or "buzzed" and escaping prosecution with merely a slap on the wrist. And although escaping unscathed isn't always the case (take the most recent death of MTV reality star Ryan Dunn, for instance), we see more media coverage of celebrities celebrating close calls after a charges against them have been dismissed - often at a party with drink in hand. This sets a bad example for impressionable minds - young adults who brag that their alcohol tolerance allows them to handle speeding while "tipsy" or not wearing a seatbelt while intoxicated.

I agree with the researchers that the only remedy is probably to lower the limits allowed even further, and perhaps even call for stricter penalties in non-fatality auto accidents. Modifications in law coupled with increased awareness may be the only remedies we have. In the famous words of Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD), "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" - and maybe they don't let them drive buzzed either.

Continue reading "Zero Tolerance Policy for DUI? Would it lower the number of Car Accidents" »

Is a $1million cap on the amount of non-economic damages a plaintiff may receive in a personal injury matter constitutional? Furthermore, does a law enforcing this cap infringe on jurors' right to determine facts in an accident case, including appropriate damages? That's the question the Mississippi Supreme Court must address. According to the Associated Press, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals made the request on behalf of a woman who sued Sears, Roebuck & Co. after she was involved in a car accident with one of the company's vans. After excellent work by her personal injury lawyer, a federal jury awarded her $4.4 million, with $2.2 million slated for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering due to her severe injuries. The judge in the case, however, reduced that amount to $1 million, in accordance with a statute passed in 2002 under Governor Ronnie Musgrove's administration and further amended to impose even stricter limitations on lawsuit damages in 2004.

Doctors, businesses and medical groups, incorrectly claim that excessive awards have made the waters of the legal system in Mississippi hard to navigate. Having worked as a personal injury lawyer for many persons, I can tell you this argument is substantively without merit. Just like ordinary individuals, businesses and medical groups need to take responsibility when their negligence results in serious injuries to another person. Responsible businesses and medical group purchase appropriate insurance coverage. Caps on non-economic damages deny victims the compensation they deserve. Just imagine, an individual who was rendered a paraplegic or a quadriplegic being paid only a $1 million for what they will endure for the rest of their life. Never being able to walk, hold their children or grandchildren, depending on others to feed and bath them. Their situation is real, not imagined, and, if caused by someone else's negligence, should result in appropriate compensation.

Non-economic damages allow these individuals a better quality of life. The funds allow injury victims to take vacations, go to shows and movies with friends, eat at a restaurant (a social experience), and do all the other things we do without thinking. Remove or extremely limit the non-economic damages and by the time attorney's fees are paid, the person is given no opportunity to live a normal life.

As I reflect further upon this particular case, I find my thoughts giving way to consideration of yet another query: Why are juries so important? For one, they possess the merciful ability to impose public sensibilities on legal proceedings involving laws that are often viewed as contrary to the public will. Even more importantly, in many cases, juries relieve judges of the weight of making burdensome decisions.

Continue reading "Mississippi Supreme Court to Weigh in on $1million Cap for Non-Economic Damages" »

A fatal bus crash earlier this month in Copiah County left two young children without a mother. According to witnesses, the children's mother lost control of her car and slid into the lane of oncoming traffic. The result was a fatal collision with an oncoming bus. Authorities said that weather may have played a role in the accident. The driver of the bus and a passenger in the bus were also injured, although not fatally. There were no children on the bus at the time of the accident.

While there was no reported evidence of negligence on the part of the bus driver, it is important for automobile accident victims to consult with an automobile accident attorney to investigate all possible claims arising out of a bus accident, truck accident or any other kind of accident where the victims are injured due to someone else's negligence.

The Thanksgiving holiday in Mississippi has been a safe one this year. According to Ray Hall, a Mississippi Highway Patrolman, only one person has been killed out of 99 accidents statewide during the Wednesday through Saturday holiday weekend.  The death occurred in Adams County on Thanksgiving Day.

Of the 99 statewide accidents, Hall said only four were alcohol related. An additional twenty-nine people were arrested for DUI.

The troopers also assisted several stranded motorists, due in part to the cold, rainy weather, he said.